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260950 WHI7E _- CITY CLERK 1 ��0 PINK � FINANCE TT COIIIICll BLUERU- MAYORTMENT GITY OF SAINT PAIlL File � NO. �� il, Resolution Presented By Referred To Committee: Date Out of Committee By Date WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Transit Commission has experimented with route identification signs on local buses by substituting digits for commonly-known names; and WHEREA5, this innovati.on has resulted in confusing and needless annoyance to transit riders in St. Paul; and WHEREA5, this Council has repeatedly supported efforts by the Metropolita.n Transit Commission to promote and increase patronage of transit systems; so, therefore, be it RESOLVED, tha.t this Council, on its own behalf and in response to complaints and urging of interested citizens, does respectfully request the Metropolita,n Transit Commission to discontinue any changes in the established method of route identificati.on; and be it FURTHER RE50LVED, that this Council directs the Clerk to send copies of this resolution to the Cha.irman and members of the Metropolita.n Transit Commission. COUNCILMEIV Yeas �tler Nays Requested by Department of: Pf,7� � �� Konopatzki In Favor Levine /� Meredith �// Against BY 9� Roedler Tedesco Mme.President �C HUri't " MAR 2 8 1973 Form Approved by City Att�rney Adopted by Council: Date Certif' a sed by C 1 ry / BY ----+ By Approved Ma r: Date � Approved by Mayor for Submission to Council By BY NU�LIStiED M��'�?3 � C � a? ��i�U . � �3 ._. �I�[� C�O�� LaG3�La �il�`�G°�OO pOO ��Q�l ��(�� 0��0� 330 Metro Square Building, Saint Paul, UV Minnesota 55101 Phone 612/227-7343 April 11, 1973 Mr Harry E Marshall City Clerk 386 City Hall St Paul, MN 55102 Dear Mr Marshall Unfortunately, through a matter of confusion, we had some buses operating in the City of St Paul recently that had no name designation on the bus .destination sign. I assure you that that was a mistake and is not in.accordance with the overall plan for the identification of buses .destinations. All buses will have in the future a numerical and letter destin- ation as well as a basic area description on the front of the bus. In addition, a numerical and letter designation will be on the side and rear of every bus. The older buses that we plan to replace in the near future will not be changed, but the .new buses , will have all the proper equipment for that designation. I am enclosing a report of our operating division which I believe describes in some detail the basic designation system for the buses. I believe that will describe the situation completely. However, if you have any questions or comments relating to this plan, we would be most happy to have you give them to us. Sincerel t . Camille D Andre Executive Director kw enc . • � � , • •� ' . MTC/TRANSIT OPERATIN.G DIVISION REVIEW OF BUS SIGNING PROGRAM Some public attention has been attracted recently by the MTC's temporary signing practice of using blank overhead signs on a few buses. Let me emphasize that only a fraction of the fleet is involved, and only some of the routes. Perhops some background information wi II clarify the situation. At fihe time (late 1970) that specifications for new buses were first being drawn up, a complete review of the bus signing program was made. This review disclosed that • the number of route designations operated in the system exceed the roller capocity (125 readings) of the route designation signs on the front of the bus. The historical practice involves using a number and letter suffix in conjunction with a route name, to designate the route and branch or terminal on which a bus was to operate. For example, the original Route 14, RANDOLPH-PAYNE overhead sign indicated the bus operated from Randolph and Cleveland Streets in the west, through downtown St. Paul, to Payne Avenue and Maryland Streets in the east. Hence the route is called, "14 RANDOLPH-PAYNE." . An examination of the route diagram (Exhibit A) shows that Twin City Lines' extension of the route later led to a 14B Ford Plant terminal in the west, and a 146 Nebraska-Curve terminal in the east. Even later, extensions were made north on Prosperity in the east, to En�lish Street (Route 14D PAYNE-PROSPERITY-ENGLISH) and to Larpenteur and Christie PI. (called Route 14C PAYNE-PROSPERITY). Thus, the buses acquired from Twin City Lines, Inc, had the following destination signs on the overhead roller: 14 DOWNTOWN . 14A RANDOLPH-CLEVELAND 14B RI�N DO LPH-PAYNE ' 14C PAYNE-PROSPERITY 14D PAYNE-PROSPERITY-ENGLISH 14X RANDOLPH-SNELLING These narrative route designations and destinotion signs may not have been entirely informative of where the bus was ope�ating, but they were read and understood by regular long-time passengers. Other routes were also extended. Because the rollers were becoming full, and the cost to install new readings for each such new extension on all the buses which might service that route (200 buses in $t. Paul are available for service on Route 14) was prohibitively expensive in materials and labor, Twin City Lines printed cardboard cards and placed them against the windshield of the bus. These windshield cards contained the route number and letter suffix, and the new route name. This system did not lend itself to any greater clarity than the overhead signs, and often the driver did not have the windshield card, or the passenger did not see it. Likewise passengers often complained that such signs were not legible at night or in the (ater afternoon during winter months. , � � Parye 2 The new system decided upon for the new buses purchased by the MTC in 1970 calls . for a route number and a letter suffix, as wel) as a general narrative route name for the long-established routes, in the front overhead �ign. This requires a three roller sign mechanism with readings as follows: ROLLER READINGS 1 Route Numerals 1 - 60 2 Route Letters A - Z 3 Narrati ve route name; e.g., RAN DO LPH- PAYNE or EXPRESS-FREEWAY As a result, we have complete adaptability to dispjay a multitude of route designations without purchasing new readings. , Thus, on the 315 new buses, different trips on Route 14 would be shown on the overhead front signs as: • _ 14 DOWNTOWN - 14A R AN DO LPH-PAYNE 14B RANDOLPH-PAYNE 14C RANDOLPH-PAYNE 14 D RAN DO LPH-PAYNE , � 14X RANDOLPH-PAYNE Prior to our first purchase of buses in 1970, the most frequenty heard complaint on destination signs was that none of the buses had route numbers on the cight side and rear of the bus, so that a person had to run to the front of the bus at a bus stop only to find that the bus in question was not theirs. The buses have signs in the right side windows, but because they were not kept up to dQte, they were hardly ever used. The buses purchased by the MTC sirrce 1970 have signs in the right front side and rear windows which show the route number and letter (branch or te�minal) suffi;:; e.g., 14A, 14B, etc., to match the front destination sign. This is done with a three rdlf�r sign box, with readings as follows: ROILER READINGS 1 Numerals 0 - 9 ' 2 Numerals 0 - 9 3 Letters A - Z . �,. Paae,3 •� . More recently, we also equipped the 155 "new look" GMC buses acquired from Twin . City Lines, Inc., with the �ight front side and rear three roller numeral and letter sign boxes. When the new signs were used, it was assumed by many that the overhead signs would no longer be used on the 155 buses, when in fact, where there is a valid reading � available, it will be used. The new side sign boxes simply replace the cardboard windshield card in the front. And the rear sign boxes add a convenience for the person cpproaching the bus from the rear. This new destination signing system has been in effect on all our new buses since delivery, 315 l�uses or 44% of our fleet, without complaint. It is interesting to note that all of the Interstate-35W express buses are designated only by numbers and letters (and the narrative reading EXPRESS-FREEWAI�, as for example, 35A, 35B, 35C, 35D, 35E,.35F, 35G, 35H, 35J, 35K, 35L, 35M, 35N and 35P. There is no overhead sign for Apple Val ley or Burnsvi I le for example, and there has been no complaint with this system. , It should also be noted that a11 of the buses serving the Anoka area formerly served by Dickenson Lines, (nc. are identified by number and letter only, as for example: Actual Destination as Described in . Newspaper Ads, Circulars, and � Sign Designation Passenger Timetables Mavndsview-B(aine 2,58 � Norfi town � We'st River Road 25g Ano<a Senior High School ' � - � East Ri ver Road 27B Green & Cutter 27C Anoka State Hospital 27N • Northtown , Circle Pines �,4 28A Long Lake County Road I Blaine Manor Express 29A Nort dale lOF Northtown lOG Northdale lOK Paul Parkway - Duke Drive � . � � �. Pa�e 4 . This service has shown a 50°lo increase in ridership since January, 1973, and no problems have developed with bus identification in this area. This is due in part to the fact that all of the patrons in that area were informed of the new system prior to the time of take-over and all passengers learned an entirely new system of bus route identification. In conclusion, we find that a large percentage of our passengers are presently oriented to route numbers and (etters; our timetable, bus stop signs, information aperators and bus drivers always refer to routes in this manner. However, it is not our intention to remove all reference to historical route names. Where they exist in an up-to-dote manner, they will be displayed. We also have decided that the overhead sign should always display some designation in the third roller, even if it is only "EXPRESS-FREEWAY" or "MTC." Pending our decision as to whether we should recommend the overhead signs in the front of the 155 buses to the three roller type used in our newly purchased . buses, we are endeavoring to continue to use overhead signs to the maximum extent possible. HWS:If � 3-30-73 , �,� .,., -. . • ` • � . � � �� 3� � ( �wc•� +.� • P�� '°� �' '+�.u� � '� O � �• 'Kl v ay..� ��lo� l�so �s � � � � .� �:.�. . � � � . �� ,,� . A �' r-� � • .� � � � �,� �1i�, �, .� � � � .. n �� .� . r: �� .l� �� . �� A � � � �� . t+-'%�''� � . �� E) �'.�1,^''�� .�-�-,��``�� G�� ;,�� - � � �� . . �-� -� � � . . �=�� , �� .. . . . . �. . �� . � � �a . �� ;:j � . tn�u-v ? �;, ��i �� 0 � 00 � ,�►� � � �0�4 � � ..� �� a ��oa�aoeaaa�o�o�ca�:�' �� . a�o � D aoo . c) D o dQ `�,�.� Av_ �. � ' �Q p�j A o � vn z p � �� vo � � �I�� .� �� n1 �_ ° C�`� � c�v o C��` �� . O • �'�� -- rn � �-� �� . � - �� S',� .�rn � • � rn � � r' � � � . � . � • � � _ . .. � . �.. . Msxch 28, 19'l3 Chairman� Metropolitan Tran�3t qcmmiss�.cn 330 Metro 3q,uare Buildirig St. Paul, Minnesota (3entlemen s Enelosed are eopies of a resolution of the St. Paul City Council� C. F. No. 260950y reque�sting the Metropolitan Transit Commis�ion to discontinue any changes in the established method of rcau�e identit'ication. Will you plea�e di�tribute copies oP thi� reaolution to all member� at' the Commis�ion? Very truly yours� City Clerk AO/ng